<p>PRJ, remember that scores near the bottom of the 50% range are still "in range". And that mid 50% is the middle. 25% of accepted students are below that. My point is that depending on the acceptance rate a school where she is at the lower end of the mid 50% can still be a match so take heart! :)</p>
<p>MM2K - Thanks for the thoughts on finding ways to take Jewish studies courses at Macalester. D had such a good visit there that it is (I think) the only school on her list without a JS major or minor.</p>
<p>historymom - You're right. It's just that after hearing stories of so many kids not getting into true "match" schools last year, I just want to make sure her list is realistic.</p>
<p>BTW, her list just got shorter by one. On a youth group trip this weekend, the advisor took a slight detour through Richmond, IN. Earlham is officially off the list, according to a very terse (and very funny) text she sent us ;)</p>
<p>Earlham is a "you love it or you hate it" school, I think. :)</p>
<p>Well, the very knowledgeable group at CC has already nabbed my three suggestions: WUSTL, Barnard and Brandeis. My only other observation is that there are a few schools being considered that clash: Muhlenberg and UW-Madison? If the girl finds schools like Muhlenberg & Earlham & Scripps appealing, perhaps some thought might be given to what she really wants in a college. The environments at these schools are much different than at several of the other schools on her list. But all in all, the list seems fine to me. Good luck!</p>
<p>UW-Madison was someone's suggestion, not on her list. But the obvious outlier is IU-Bloomington. D has many friends there, as well as friends who live in Bloomington, it has a great Jewsih studies program, and it is a true safety for her.</p>
<p>That said, it is not MY pick for her, so that's why I've spent so much time trying to find other, smaller safeties.</p>
<p>... sorry, my bad ...</p>
<p>that's okay :)</p>
<p>UMich has a huge Jewish population and very active Hillel and Chabad organizations. Ann Arbor is not a major city (120,000 people; about a quarter of whom are students) but it is only about 45 minutes to Detroit (a city that definitely has its pros and cons) and a reasonably short bus or train ride to Chicago.</p>
<p>Also, Rice has a pretty strong Jewish population (as does Houston as a whole). They don't have Jewish Studies but they do have a Religious Studies department.</p>
<p>In the interest of having a true safety, I want to say, IU Bloomington is only a safety if you apply early. We know a very good student who was accepted MT there and then did not get into the college; applied relatively late (not early) from out of state.</p>
<p>(Plus, it is fun to get an early letter of acceptance from your safety school.)</p>
<p>Have you looked at College of Charleston? The college has a relatively new Judaic Studies center, and a very active Jewish population of students. The town has (I believe) one of the oldest and most active synagogues in the country. The town isn't a big city, but Charleston is a great place.</p>
<p>For the sake of completeness, there's the American Jewish University, in Los Angeles. Small undergrad program colocated with one of the conservative movement's seminaries. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.ajula.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://www.ajula.edu/</a></p>
<p>Here's one - the University of San Francisco. I know, a Jesuit university, but in a great city and with a program in Jewish studies and social justice - University</a> of San Francisco (USF) - The Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice
During my son's freshman convocation last year I was impressed by a Jewish senior girl who gave a speech and explained why, after twelve years of Jewish school education, she chose USF. See the following:
Jesuit</a> college teaching Jewish social justice - JTA, Jewish & Israel News
Not terribly hard to get into; your child would almost certainly qualify for merit aid. My son loves it.</p>
<p>PRJ - I forgot to mention - my daughter is a freshman at Pitzer and after three weeks there seems to really like it. Much more of a liberal arts school than USF. Her brother is a computer science major at USF - he says it's too hot in Claremont; she says it's too cold in San Francisco.</p>
<p>sarsfield - USF is an interesting idea, a place we definitely hadn't considered. I've come across lots of your helpful posts about Pitzer, and will definitely be in touch as this process moves forward. Pitzer was one of the first schools we visited and she fell in love - of course, those brand new freshman dorms around the pool looked mighty appealing to my sun-starved Midwestern daughter :). But now that she is firmer in wanting Jewish studies she needs to look more in depth at how that would work at the consortium.....</p>
<p>thumper - someone on the College Search forum also suggested College of CHarleston - another place we hadn't thought of. thanks!</p>
<p>MM2K - thanks for the reminder about IU. I read somewhere that they actually stopped accepting applications sometime in January last year b/c they had so many. D's app is done (the only one so far but hey, I'm counting my blessings ;) - we are just waiting on one teacher rec.</p>
<p>oh, and it's not in a big city, but Smith has a Jewish studies minor (some people self-design it into a major) and a dining room offering both kosher and halal food.</p>